THE    NORMAL 

School  Quarterly 


Series  2 


January,  1904 


Number  p 


0 


JERS^ 


9-\S4fc 


Of  ^ 


ANOe 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching 
of  History  in  the  Grades 

By 

HENRY  McCORMICK 


Entered  August  18,    1902,    Normal,    Illinois,    as   second    class    matter 
under  Act  of  Congress  of  July   16,    1894 

PUBLISHED     BY     THE     ILLINOIS     STATE 
NORMAL     UNIVERSITY,     NORMAL,     ILLINOIS 


NORMAL  SCHOOL  QUARTERLY 


Published    by    the    Illinois    State    Normal    University, 

Normal, 

Illinois 

Series  2                                                  JANUARY,  1904 

No.  9 

Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades 


Teachers  of  history  are  not  agreed  as  to  the  point  in  the  child's 
school  life  at  which  the  teaching  of  the  subject  should  begin.  Some 
contend  that  it  should  begin  on  his  first  entering  school ;  others  are 
fully  as  earnest  in  their  belief  that  it  should  not  begin  before  the 
third  or  fourth  year.  Neither  is  there  entire  unanimity  concerning 
the  material  with  which  it  is  best  to  begin. 

Some  of  those  who  believe  that  it  should  begin  the  first  year 
advocate  beginning  with  fairy  tales,  and  passing  on  to  Bible  stories, 
ancient  myths,  biographies,  etc.;  the  others  insist  that  the  proper 
material  is  a  well-rounded-out  history  of  the  ancient  peoples,  be- 
ginning with  Arya  and  his  sons,  and  passing  in  order  to  the  Egyp- 
tians, Hebrews,  Phoenicians,  Greeks,  Romans,  and  Carthaginians; 
that  then  should  come  a  study  of  the  Teutons  in  connection  with 
whom  there  should  be  a  discussion  of  the  Crusades  and  of  the  Pro- 
testant Reformation;  these  topics  to  be  followed  by  a  study  of  the 
development  of  Spanish,  French  and  English  ideas  in  America.  By 
this  plan  the  study  of  what  is  usually  termed  American  history  be- 
gins in  the  seventh  grade. 

Those  teachers  who  claim  that  it  is  not  profitable  to  begin  the 
teaching  of  history  before  the  third  or  fourth  year  of  the  child's 
school  life,  admit  that  fairy  tales,  Bible  stories,  myths,  etc.,  may 
be  taught  to  advantage  in  the  first  three  grades,  but  that  the  work 
should  be  termed  literature,  not  history.  And  they  claim  that  the 
children  in  the  primary  and  intermediate  grades  are  not  qualified 
to  take  a  systematic  survey  of  the  history  of  the  world,  even  if  the 
teacher  is  careful  to  compare  the  conditions  which  surrounded  the 
ancient  races  with  those  which  surround  the  children. 

Some  very  successful  teachers  of  history  begin  with  biographies 
of  eminent  men  both  in  our  own  history  and  in  that  of  other  na- 


The  Normal  School  Quarterly. 


tions,  leaving  the  study  of  environment  to  the  class  in  geography. 
But  while  no  hard  and  fast  line  should  be  drawn  between  history 
and  geography  in  the  lower  grades,  yet  it  is  true  that  much  of  what 
is  usually  known  as  political  geography  belongs  with  history,  and 
should  be  so  regarded. 

This  paper  considers  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  year  as  the 
best  time  to  begin  the  study  of  history,  altho  it  concedes  that  the 
work  may  begin  with  the  third  year,  or  be  deferred  until  the  fifth 
without  serious  loss  to  the  pupils.  It  does  not  regard  the  time  of 
beginning  of  so  much  importance  as  it  does  the  material  with  which 
the  beginning  is  made,  the  manner  in  which  the  material  is  used, 
and  the  sequence  of  topics  observed  in  the  using. 

The  teaching  of  history  like  the  teaching  of  all  other  subjects 
should  begin  with  material  found  in  the  environment  of  the  chil- 
dren. It  should  begin  with  that  which  is  present  in  time  and  space, 
and  with  which  they  are  most  familiar,  so  as  to  utilize  their  experi- 
ence and  observation.  Before  arriving  at  the  age  of  nine  or  ten 
years  they  have  learned  considerable  history.  They  have  witnessed 
it  being  made,  and,  perhaps  have  participated  in  the  making.  They 
have  been  learning  from  experience,  if  not  from  books,  and  there 
should  be  an  intelligent  effort  on  the  part  of  the  teacher  to  conduct 
her  teaching,  at  first,  along  the  lines  indicated  by  the  experience  of 
her  pupils.  And  their  experience  is  limited  at  this  time,  being 
confined  largely  to  their  homes  and  vicinity.  Consequently  the 
institution  of  the  home,  or  family,  may  profitably  be  made  the  ini- 
tial topic  of  a  course  in  history. 

The  home  is  the  institution  with  which  the  pupil  is  most  fa- 
milar,  consequently  it  is  the  one  which  will  furnish  him  with  the 
largest  stock  of  concrete  ideas.  At  an  early  age  he  learns  to  differ- 
entiate it  from  other  homes,  and  to  differentiate  his  own  family 
from  other  families  in  the  neighborhood.  His  home  belongs  to 
him,  and  he  belongs  to  his  home.  Here  dwells  his  father  who 
plans  and  toils  to  furnish  the  home  with  all  things  necessary  to 
make  it  a  pleasant  and  happy  place.  He  provides  not  only  food 
and  clothing,  books  and  pictures,  music  and  other  means  of  culture, 
but  also  schools  in  which  his  children  are  educated  and  fitted  for 
usefulness  and  enjoyment.  If  they  are  sick  the  father  obtains  for 
them  the  best  medical  care.  If  they  are  in  trouble  he  helps  them 
out  of  it.  And  if  they  are  disposed  to  give  up  reaching  after  excel- 
lence, he  encourages  them  by  word  and  act  to  keep  on  in  the  right 
path.     Here,  too,  dwell  the  brothers  and  sisters  with  whom  the 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades,  3 

pupil  plays  and  quarrels,  laughs  and  cries.  But  most  important  of 
all,  here  dwells  the  mother  whose  love  for  her  children  never  fails 
or  falters,  whose  Christlike  sympathy  and  self-denial  consecrate  the 
home  and  make  it  the  most  sacred  spot  on  earth. 

In  order  that  the  home  may  be  such  a  desirable  place  each  of 
the  children  must  do  what  he  can  to  make  it  so.  Each  must  recog- 
nize the  right  of  his  parents  to  direct  his  conduct.  He  must  yield 
a  cheerful  obedience  to  their  requests.  Otherwise  the  home  will  be 
a  place  of  confusion  and  turmoil,  and  no  one  in  it  will  be  happy. 

The  study  of  the  home  may  be  followed  by  that  of  the  church. 
Children  should  know  the  purpose  of  the  church  and  how  it  seeks 
to  accomplish  this  purpose.  They  should  be  led  to  see  its  influ- 
ence upon  the  homes  in  the  community.  Its  efforts  to  help  people 
live  clean,  honorable,  helpful  lives  should  be  dwelt  upon,  as  this  is 
the  chief  purpose  of  its  existence.  The  helpfulness  of  the  minis- 
ter to  the  community  in  cheering  the  despondent,  comforting  the 
sick,  encouraging  right  conduct,  and  in  rebuking  wrong  should  be 
pointed  out.  All  good  people  respect  him,  and  even  bad  people 
are  ashamed  to  be  bad  in  his  presence.  But  it  costs  money  to 
build  a  church  and  furnish  it.  And  as  (fortunately)  there  is  no 
law  in  this  country  to  compel  people  to  pay  for  the  building  and 
support  of  churches,  some  of  the  people  furnish  the  money  volun- 
tarily, and  invite  all  to  partake  of  the  benefits.  There  may^be  sev- 
eral churches  in  the  community,  owned  by  different  denominations, 
but  the  children  should  be  led  to  see  that  the  purpose  of  all  is  the 
same — the  betterment  of  the  community ;  and  the  manner  in  which 
they  accomplish  this  may  be  dwelt  upon.  Care  should  be  taken, 
however,  that  no  denominational  peculiarities  be  referred  to. 

Next  after  the  church  should  come  the  school.  It  is  not  meant 
by  this  arrangement  that  the  school  is  second  in  importance  to  the 
church.  The  question  of  their  relative  importance  is  not  under 
consideration  at  this  time.  The  order  followed  is  that  in  which 
the  children  come  in  contact  with  these  institutions.  It  costs  money 
to  build  a  schoolhouse  and  furnish  it,  and  to  pay  the  teacher.  Why 
do  the  people  go  to  all  of  this  expense  ?  Why  send  their  children  to 
school  instead  of  keeping  them  at  home  to  work?  It  is  evident 
that  they  expect  something  valuable  in  return.  What  is  it?  If 
the  pupils  are  disorderly,  rude,  and  disobedient,  will  the  expecta- 
tions of  their  parents  be  realized  ?  It  can  be  shown  that  obedience 
to  the  requests  of  the  teacher  in  school  are  as  necessary  as  obedience 
to  the  requests  of  the  parents  at  home.     The  thoughtful  teacher 


The  Normal  School  Quarterly. 


will  ever  bear  it  in  mind  that  the  school  has  other  purposes  besides 
the  imparting  of  information  and  the  acquiring  of  knowledge.  She 
will  not  engage  in  preachments,  and  yet  she  will  constantly  be 
preaching  sermons  on  kindness,  politeness,  and  truthfulness  by  her 
conduct,  as  she  herself  is  an  embodiment  of  all  these  virtues. 

The  institution  of  the  state  as  represented  by  the  home  town 
(urban  or  rural)  should  follow  that  of  the  school.  By  this  time 
the  children  have  learned  considerable  about  politics.  They  know 
the  names  of  the  principal  political  parties  and  have  some  notions 
in  regard  to  the  principles  which  each  party  advocates.  They  have 
witnessed  political  rallies,  and  heard  political  speeches.  They 
know  something  about  what  is  meant  by  government,  and  how 
men  get  into  office.  They  have  attended  a  town  meeting  and  there 
learned  considerable  about  the  manner  in  which  governmental  af- 
fairs are  transacted.  In  short  they  have  a  good  foundation  for  a 
political,  or  civic  education,  on  which  the  teachers  should  help 
ihem  build  a  creditable  superstructure.  If  they  live  in  the  coun- 
try, they  may  be  acquainted  with  the  supervisor  and  the  other  town 
officers,  and  may  know  the  duties  of  each.  If  their  homes  are  in  a 
Tillage,  the  children  may  know  the  trustees,  or  council,  and  the 
president  of  the  council  or  mayor,  and  have  some  knowledge  of  their 
duties.  The  same  is  true  in  regard  to  the  policemen,  firemen,  and 
street  commissioners.  They  should  not  be  left  to  think,  however, 
that  political  purposes  are  the  only  ones  served  by  the  town.  The 
rural  town  builds  roads  and  bridges,  makes  sanitary  laws,  de- 
stroys noxious  weeds,  etc.  The  urban  town,  or  village,  in  addition 
to  doing  what  the  rural  town  does,  paves  streets  and  lights  them, 
furnishes  the  people  abundance  of  pure  water,  builds  sewers,  pre- 
serves order,  and  does  what  it  can  to  protect  the  lives  and  property 
of  the  people  from  destruction  by  fire.  The  town  officials  must 
have  money  with  which  to  do  all  of  these  things,  and  this  money 
they  obtain  by  taxing  the  people.  Here  elementary  notions  of  tax- 
ation may  be  given  to  the  children,  and  they  can  be  led  to  see  that 
the  tax  should  be  just  and  equitable,  and  that  it  should  be  expended 
for  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  raised.  They  should  be  led  to 
see  that  the  town  promotes  the  welfare  of  the  family,  the  church, 
and  the  school ;  and  that  they,  in  turn,  are  helpful  to  the  town. 

Industrial  institutions  may  well  be  treated  next  after  the 
town.  This  is  the  age  of  industry.  The  stone  age,  the  bronze  age, 
and  the  iron  age  have  passed,  and  we  are  now  in  the  industrial  age. 
Commerce,   manufacturing,   etc.,    are    affecting   the    family,   the 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades.  5 

church,  the  school,  and  the  state.  They  are  invading  every  com- 
munity and  giving  rise  to  new  problems.  It  is  highly  proper, 
therefore,  that  the  children  should  be  introduced  to  these  subjects 
through  the  forms  existing  in  their  own  neighborhood. 

Did  the  prescribed  length  of  this  pamphlet  permit,  the  correct- 
ness of  beginning  and  continuing  the  earlier  steps  in  the  study  of 
history  as  here  indicated  could  be  shown  more  satisfactorily.  The 
sequence  of  topics  is  such  that  each  leads  to  the  one  that  follows, 
and  helps  to  a  proper  understanding  of  it.  And  certain  great  prin- 
ciples, such  as  organization,  obedience,  and  respect  for  the  rights 
of  others  run  through  them  all  and  bind  them  into  a  unity.  Besides, 
the  study  of  these  home  institutions  prepares  the  pupils  to  under- 
stand and  appreciate  the  institutions  of  other  lands  and  of  other 
peoples. 

Having  studied  the  conditions  that  now  exist  in  the  home 
neighborhood,  the  children  should  be  led  to  study  the  conditions 
that  prevailed  there  formerly.  Life  among  the  early  pioneers  should 
be  dwelt  upon.  Where  did  they  come  from  ?  How  did  they  come  ? 
When  they  came  here  the  country  was  uncultivated.  There  were 
no  well-tilled  fields,  or  farmhouses;  no  wagon  roads,  no  bridges, 
and  no  railroads.  For  some  time  there  were  no  mills  for  grinding 
grain,  and  the  people  had  to  resort  to  the  grater  and  to  the  mortar 
and  pestle  to  prepare  the  corn  for  food,  while  they  ground  the 
wheat  with  little  hand  mills,  or  querns.  And  later  when  wind- 
mills and  watermills  were  built  they  were  so  far  apart  in  some  in- 
stances, that  it  required  two  days  to  take  a  grist  to  the  nearest  and 
get  back  home  with  it.  Even  after  towns  and  villages  were  estab- 
lished, they  were  so  few  in  number  and  the  merchants  kept  so  few 
articles  for  sale  that  the  settlers  were  compelled  to  get  along  with- 
out many  things  that  we  regard  as  prime  necessities. 

There  were  no  schoolhouses  or  churches;  but  as  many  of  the 
people  felt  the  need  of  divine  services,  and  were  determined  that 
their  children  should  have,  at  least,  the  rudiments  of  an  education, 
the  settler's  cabin  was  converted,  at  times,  into  schoolhouse  and 
church,  and  the  peripatetic  schoolmaster  and  itinerant  preacher  did 
what  they  could  for  both  young  and  old. 

Newspapers  from  the  older  settlements  reached  these  pioneers 
but  rarely,  magazines  not  at  all,  and  books  were  scarce.  Letters 
from  the  old  homes  required  weeks  to  reach  their  destination,  and 
their  arrival  marked  an  epoch  in  the  lives  of  the  recipients. 

Besides  laboring  under  these  disadvantages  and  enduring  so 


The  Normal  School  Quarterly. 


many  privations  these  pioneers  were  surrounded  by  Indians  who 
were  often  hostile  and  whose  friendship  was  always  uncertain.  The 
intercourse  of  the  whites  with  the  red  men  forms  an  interesting 
chapter  in  the  early  history  of  the  Middle  West.  This  chapter 
should  be  made  known  to  the  children  before  it  is  too  late.  The 
Indians  have  removed  farther  west  and  it  is  rare  that  any  of 
them  are  seen  by  the  pupils.  Descriptions  of  their  homes,  clothing, 
weapons,  and  manner  of  life  will  be  very  fascinating  to  the  youth- 
ful  learners,  and  will  form  an  excellent  background  to  the  picture 
of  pioneer  life. 

The  study  of  the  pioneer  life  of  the  home  neighborhood  will 
naturally  lead  to  a  study  of  pioneer  conditions  in  the  states  from 
which  the  pioneers  came.  It  is  not  necessary  to  study  all  of  the 
states  in  detail.  A  study  of  early  Massachusetts  will  reveal  pioneer 
conditions  in  all  of  the  New  England  states  with  sufficient  accu- 
racy; and  Virginia  may  be  taken  as  typical  of  the  southern  states. 

The  early  New  England  home,  with  its  sanded  floor,  cavernous 
fireplace,  and  dish-laden  dresser  will  be  an  object  of  interest.  The 
rifle,  powder-horn,  and  bullet-pouch  are  within  easy  reach,  as  they 
may  be  needed  at  any  moment.  The  festoons  of  golden  pumpkins 
which  grace  the  ceiling,  and  the  iiaunches  of  venison  that  hang 
against  the  walls  show  that  the  creature  comforts  are  not  neglected. 
Our  pupils  will  delight  to  sit  by  the  fire  on  a  winter  evening  and 
listen  to  the  "gude  man"  of  the  house,  as  he  smokes  his  pipe  and 
sips  his  mug  of  mulled  cider,  tell  of  his  adventures  with  the  French 
and  Indians,  or  of  his  narrow  escapes  from  the  storms  and  fogs  of 
the  Grand  Banks.  And  his  "gude  wife"  who  sits  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  fire,  knitting  diligently  and  smiling  serenely  upon  her 
visitors,  is  able  to  tell  them  many  a  thrilling  tale  of  the  hardships 
and  dangers  thru  which  the  women  had  to  pass  when  their  men- 
folk were  away  from  home. 

The  pupils  will  watch  Charity  and  Patience  as  they  card 
and  spin  the  wool  which  is  to  be  made  into  clothing  for  the  family. 
Or  it  may  be  those  modest  maidens  are  spinning  flax  which  is  to  be 
made  into  linen  for  their  sister,  Mercy,  who  is  to  be  married  in  the 
spring.  Mercy  herself  is  not  idle.  She  is  busily  winding  yarn 
which  Ezekiel  is  holding  on  extended  arms.  The  couple  are  earn- 
estly engaged  in  conversation,  probably  discussing  the  weather,  the 
roads,  or  last  Sunday's  sermon.  And  that  reminds  him  that  he 
intended  to  ask  her  to  go  to  meeting  with  him  on  the  following 
Sabbath.     Will  she  be  kind  enough  to  do  so?     Yes,  she  will  go. 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades.  7 

And  the  answer  makes  the  godly  young  man's  heart  swell  with  joy. 

Let  the  children  notice  him  as  on  Sabbath  morning  he  starts 
from  home  dressed  in  his  best  suit.  Low  shoes  adorned  with  his 
grandfather's  large  silver  buckles,  knee  breeches,  store  coat,  and 
conical  hat  show  his  manly  form  to  the  best  advantage.  With  what 
interest  they  watch  him  gallop  to  the  horse  block,  and  see  Mercy 
spring  lightly  on  the  pillion,  and  to  keep  from  falling  put  her  arm 
around  her  escort. 

In  the  meeting  house  they  have  to  sit  apart;  she,  on  the  wo- 
men's side;  he,  on  the  men's.  The  teacher  and  his  pupils  also  sep- 
arate as  they  must  sit  by  themselves  so  one  of  the  church  officials 
can  keep  them  in  order.  Who  is  that  dignified-looking  man  who 
walks  up  and  down  the  aisle,  and  why  does  he  carry  such  a  long 
staff?  That  is  the  tithing-man;  and  if  we  watch  him  closely  we 
shall  see  the  use  he  makes  of  his  staff.  Observe  that  in  one  end  of 
it  a  sharpened  spike  is  driven,  and  that  to  the  other  is  fastened  a 
fox's  tail.  Yonder  is  a  woman  nodding  her  head.  See  how  gently 
he  tickles  her  nose  with  the  fox's  tail,  thus  admonishing  her  that 
the  sermon  is  not  finished.  On  the  back  seat  sits  a  man  who,  weary 
with  the  week's  toil,  finds  it  difficult  to  keep  awake.  At  length  he, 
too,  succumbs  to  the  soothing  influence  of  the  sermon  and  falls  into 
a  troubled  sleep  from  which  he  is  piously  awakened  by  a 
prod  from  the  spike-end  of  the  staff.  The  pupils  will  sympathize 
with  the  unfortunate  sleepers  when  they  learn  that  the  average 
length  of  a  sermon  in  those  days  was  from  sixty  to  ninety  minutes. 

This  is  a  picture  of  the  people  of  New  England  and  of  some 
of  their  customs  at  one  stage  of  its  history.  Equally  vivid  and  in- 
teresting pictures  may  be  given  of  other  periods  and  of  other  sec- 
tions of  the  country.  Life  on  the  Virginia  plantation  lends  itself 
readily  to  such  treatment.  It  may  be  advisable  in  this  instance  to 
treat  of  life  among  the  wealthy  planters,  but  the  children  must  not 
be  led  to  think  that  in  colonial  days  all  Virginians  were  wealthy. 
In  Virginia,  as  in  the  other  colonies,  could  be  found  rich  and  poor, 
and  fairly  well-to-do  people. 

Because  of  the  great  extent  of  many  of  the  plantations,  their 
owners  lived  semi-isolated  lives.  This  was  especially  true  of  their 
families.  Towns  were  few  and  far  apart,  as  the  prevailing  condi- 
tions wrere  unfavorable  to  their  growth.  Even  the  seats  of  justice 
were,  in  many  instances,  located  at  country  crossroads.  The  plan- 
tation bordered  usually  on  a  navigable  stream  and  the  planter 


The  Normal  School  Quarterly. 


shipped  most  of  his  produce  directly  to  England  and  received  in 
return  such  articles  as  he  needed. 

The  "great  house/'  with  the  slave  quarters,  stables,  and  shops 
had  the  appearance  of  a  village.  Here  the  proprietor  lorded  it 
over  his  dusky  chattels,  provided  them  with  food  and  clothing,  and 
made  some  provisions  for  their  spiritual  welfare.  Here,  too,  the 
planter's  wife,  like  an  angel  of  mercy,  visited  the  cabins  of  the 
lowly,  carrying  delicacies  and  medicines  to  the  sick,  and  speaking 
soothing  words  to  those  whose  spirits  were  angered  by  the  lash  of 
the  overseer. 

The  quarter  sessions  held  at  the  county  seat  were  events  of 
importance  in  the  social  life  of  Virginia.  They  brought  together 
lawyers  and  judges  from  the  larger  towns,  and  others  who  were  in- 
terested in  legal  matters.  And  as  many  of  these  were  supposed  to 
be  conversant  with  the  usages  of  good  society,  the  planter  was  de- 
sirous that  his  family  should  come  in  contact  with  them.  On  such 
occasions  all  were  hospitably  entertained  by  the  wealthy  residents 
of  the  town  or  by  the  planters  in  the  vicinity. 

Winter  was  the  gayest  season  of  the  year.  The  colonial  legis- 
lature was  then  in  session,  and  many  of  the  planters  brought  their 
wives  and  grown  sons  and  daughters  to  the  capital.  Here  they 
spent  their  money  freely,  received  and  gave  invitations  to  dinners 
and  balls,  and  mingled  with  the  distinguished  sons  and  daughters 
of  the  Old  Dominion.  Such  mingling  was  an  education  in  itself; 
but  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  it  was  the  only  education  which 
the  planter  gave  his  children.  On  the  contrary,  he  had  northern, 
or  foreign  governesses  to  teach  his  daughters  and  perfect  them  in 
the  accomplishments  of  polite  society,  and  tutors  to  prepare  his 
sons  for  college,  at  which  many  of  them  distinguished  themselves. 

Visitors  were  always  welcome  on  the  plantations.  Travelers, 
especially,  were  gladly  entertained,  as  they  brought  news  of  the  out- 
side world;  and  this  was  no  small  matter,  as  it  was  rare  that  a 
newspaper  was  received.  Visiting  among  the  planters'  families  was 
carried  on  in  a  very  elaborate  manner.  When  one  family  visited 
another  at  a  distance  of  fifteen  or  twenty  miles,  the  women  and 
children  rode  in  the  coach,  a  great  lumbering  affair  drawn  by  two 
or  four  fat,  sleek  horses,  and  driven  by  a  pompous  coachman,  who 
considered  himself  next  in  importance  to  "Marse."  The  men  rode 
on  horseback,  and  the  servants  and  baggage  followed  in  a  wagon. 
There  was  always  a  large  retinue  of  servants,  especially  of  maid- 
servants.    On  arriving  at  its  destination,  the  party  was  received 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades,  9 

with  profuse  and  hearty  demonstrations  of  joy;  even  the  dogs 
barked  a  noisy  welcome. 

Early  the  next  morning,  the  planters  for  miles  around,  with 
their  grown  sons,  and  sometimes  with  their  daughters,  gathered  for 
a  fox  chase.  Fearlessly  they  rode  across  fields,  thru  woods,  and 
over  fences  and  streams,  risking  life  and  limb  to  keep  within  hear- 
ing of  the  baying  of  the  hounds ;  and  yet  the  risk  was  not  so  very 
great,  as  all  Virginians  were  expert  riders.  After  the  chase  their 
host  detained  them  for  supper,  and  for  the,  dance  which  usually  fol- 
lowed. The  table  was  laden  with  choice  meats  from  the  barnyard 
and  from  the  forest,  and  with  the  most  costly  liquors  from  sunny 
Prance.  The  festivities  continued  sometimes  for  several  days,  and 
when  they  were  brought  to  a  close,  and  the  visitors  prepared  to  de- 
part for  their  homes,  they  received  many  urgent  invitations  to  re- 
turn soon. 

In  these  brief  outlines  of  the  social  conditions  of  the  people, 
their  progress  from  one  stage  to  another  should  be  pointed  out  and 
commented  upon.  The  people  are  worthy  of  it,  whether  they  be- 
longed to  the  wealthy  planter  class  of  the  South  or  to  the  hillside 
farmers  of  New  England.  They  are  the  men  and  women  who 
made  this  country  what  it  is — the  joy  of  all  the  earth,  the  poor 
man's  paradise.  These  are  the  men  who,  when  oppression  would 
blight  the  work  of  their  hands,  placed  themselves  in  front  of  the 
oppressor,  saying,  "Thus  far  and  no  farther  shalt  thou  come."  And 
these  are  the  women  who  bravely  encouraged  their  brothers,  sons, 
and  husbands  in  their  manly  resolve,  being  willing  to  suffer  all 
privations  and  make  all  sacrifices,  so  that  freedom  should  live. 
They  are  worthy  of  being  held  up  as  an  example  to  our  children; 
and  the  teacher  who  fails  to  do  this  is  recreant  to  her  trust  and  un- 
worthy of  her  vocation. 

At  this  early  stage  of  the  children's  progress,  much  attention 
should  be  given  to  the  biographies  of  some  of  the  leading  characters 
in  American  history.  Some  excellent  teachers  believe  that  this 
work  should  begin  with  the  biographies  of  men  whom  they  are 
pleased  to  term,  world  characters,  such  as  Cyrus  the  Great,  Alex- 
ander, Hannibal,  Julius  Caesar,  Charlemagne,  etc.  The  writer, 
however,  does  not  believe  so,  altho  he  has  great  respect  for  the 
achievements  of  these  worthies  and  of  others  whose  deeds  form  such 
a  large  part  of  the  history  of  ancient  and  mediaeval  times.  With 
all  due  respect  for  their  memories,  however,  he  believes  that  Amer- 
ican history  furnishes  men  and  women  who,  because  of  what  they 


10  The  Normal  School  Quarterly. 

have  done  for  humanity,  are  better  entitled  to  be  known  as  world 
characters.  Besides,  there  is  this  advantage  that  they  touch  the 
interests  of  the  children  more  closely  than  do  the  others.  The  in- 
fluence of  their  lives  and  works  upon  existing  conditions  can  be 
seen  more  readily.  Washington,  Lincoln,  Scott,  Grant,  Sherman, 
Farragut,  and  Dewey  mean  far  more  to  American  boys  and  girls 
than  do  Alexander,  Caesar,  Charlemagne,  Napoleon,  Blake,  and 
Nelson.  And  Lewis  and  Clark's  expedition  is  of  more  consequence 
than  the  Eetreat  of  the  Ten  Thousand.  The  biographies  of  these 
foreign  heroes  should  be  taught  to  European  boys  and  girls  at  an 
early  age  because  the  history  of  their  countries  was  influenced  by 
the  works  of  those  great  men.  But  their  influence  upon  American 
history  is  too  remote  to  awaken  interest  in  this  connection,  and  had 
better  be  deferred  to  a  later  period. 

This  does  not  mean  that  American  children  should  not  be  in- 
troduced to  some  of  the  great  characters  of  ancient  times  and  of 
other  countries.  It  is  simply  suggesting  that  the  great  names  con- 
nected with  our  own  history  should  receive  attention  first ;  those  of 
other  times  and  places  later. 

It  will  be  well  for  the  teacher  to  bear  in  mind,  however,  that 
she  cannot  teach  everything  in  the  time  allotted  to  her.  If  she  at- 
tempts to  teach  about  many  of  the  famous  characters  of  history, 
and  to  trace  quite  a  number  of  events  in  American  history  to  their 
causes  in  European  history  ,^  as  the  children  go  along,  she  will  ac- 
complish but  little  in  American  history,  which  should  be  the  bur- 
den of  her  work.  A  better  way  is  to  defer  tracing  most  of  the  allu- 
sions to  European  history,  and  most  of  the  biographies  of  Old 
World  worthies  to  the  last  term  of  the  eighth  grade.  The  work 
can  be  done  more  satisfactorily  then  because  the  pupils  will  be  bet- 
ter prepared  for  it,  and  it  will  give  an  excellent  opportunity  to  re- 
view some  of  the  leading  points  in  American  history. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  in  selecting  biographical  material. 
The  selection  should  not  be  confined  to  one  or  two  classes — more 
particularly  to  pioneers  and  military  heroes.  "Peace  hath  its  vic- 
tories as  well  as  war,"  consequently  explorers,  inventors,  and  men 
of  letters  should  find  a  place  in  the  list.  And  as  every  lesson,  when 
properly  taught,  leaves  the  pupils  different  persons  from  what 
they  were  before  the  teaching,  none  but  characters  of  moral  worth 
should  be  made  objects  of  study.  And  the  purest  and  most  help- 
ful should  receive  the  preference. 

The  work  should  be  given  orally  by  the  teacher,  and  she  should 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades.  11 

know  it  thoroly  before  coming  into  the  presence  of  her  class.  Many 
of  the  failures  in  teaching  are  due  to  the  teacher's  lack  of  knowl- 
edge of  the  subject  rather  than  to  a  lack  of  knowledge  of  methods. 
And  no  amount  of  knowledge  of  methods  and  principles  of  peda- 
gogy can  atone  for  ignorance  or  vague  knowledge  of  the  subject. 
The  teacher's  knowledge  of  that  which  she  is  to  teach  must  be  thoro 
and  clear  to  be  effective.  She  should  cultivate  the  art  of  narrating 
simply,  clearly,  and  fluently,  so  that  the  pupils  may  be  able  to  re- 
cite the  substance  of  the  lesson  next  day  in  their  own  language. 
Later  they  should  be  required  occasionally  to  write  the  lesson.  But 
the  oral  recitation  should  be  the  prevailing  form,  as  the  ability  to 
think  and  speak  connectedly,  standing  before  the  teacher  and  class 
is  of  great  value  to  the  children;  and  they  should  be  required  to 
stand,  and  not  be  permitted  to  wriggle  and  twist  and  lean  against 
the  desks,  as  so  many  are  inclined  to  do. 

If  Columbus  is  the  subject  of  the  lesson,  with  what  interest  the 
children  will  listen,  if  the  teacher  is  prepared  to  enter  into  the 
spirit  of  the  work.  They  see  the  little  Genoese  as  day  by  day  he 
helps  his  father  earn  bread  for  the  family ;  and  when  the  day's  work 
is  done,  they  enter  heartily  into  his  sports.  They  go  down  with 
him  to  the  wharves  where  he  loves  to  linger  listening  to  the  marvel- 
ous tales  told  by  the  bronzed  and  weather-beaten  mariners  of  the 
Mediterranean.  Their  "yarns"  are  far  more  interesting  to  him 
than  is  the  yarn  in  his  father's  little  shop.  And  when  he  goes  to 
Pavia  they  accompany  him  and  try  to  console  him  in  the  lonely 
hours  that  come  to  boys  and  girls  on  their  first  leaving  home  for 
school.  In  his  maturer  years  when  he  is  elaborating  those  strange 
theories  in  regard  to  the  shape  of  the  earth  and  the  shortest  route 
to  India,  they  look  with  awe  upon  his  lowering  brow  and  piercing 
eye.  They  believe  in  the  man.  They  believe  in  his  theories,  and 
are  angry  at  the  rulers  of  Europe  for  doubting  his  ability  to  do 
that  which  he  proposes.  And  as  he  sorrowfully  turns  his  back 
upon  the  Court  of  Spain,  they  trudge  by  his  side,  as  despondent 
and  hungry  he  plods  wearily  on  his  way  to  France.  They  try  to 
encourage  him  by  manifestations  of  sympathy,  even  sharing  their 
luncheons  with  his  little  boy  whom  he  leads  by  the  hand.  And 
they  are  heartily  glad  when  the  Father  Superior  of  the  Convent  of 
Our  Lady  of  the  Madness  receives  him  cordially  and  furnishes  him 
with  food  and  lodging.  Later  when  Isabella  thru  the  influence,  of 
the  good  father  grants  his  request  and  furnishes  him  with  a  pitiful 
fleet  they  are  as  happy  as  he,  and  pace  the  deck  of  the  Santa  Maria 


12  The  Normal  School  Quarterly, 

as  proudly  as  he  does.  And  on  that  memorable  October  12  with 
feelings  as  exalted  as  his  own  they  help  him  plant  the  banner  of 
Castile  and  Aragon  on  the  virgin  soil  of  the  New  World. 

And  so  the  teacher  might  follow  this  man  on  his  other  voyages. 
She  could  dwell  on  his  reception  at  Barcelona,  his  efforts  to  con- 
trol the  turbulent  spirits  at  San  Domingo,  his  voyage  home  in 
chains,  and  his  death  on  a  hired  bed  in  a  rented  hovel.  Each  of 
these  events  is  capable  of  being  so  presented  as  to  make  a  perma- 
nent impression  upon  the  pupils. 

Enough  has  been  said  of  Columbus  to  suggest  what  should  be 
said  of  Champlain,  Hudson,  John  Smith,  etc.,  as  well  as  the  man- 
ner in  which  it  should  be  presented  to  the  class.  It  will  be  readily 
understood  that  in  order  to  be  most  effective  the  presentation  must 
not  only  be  clear  and  simple,  as  has  already  been  said,  but  it  must 
also  be  very  vivid.  But  any  teacher  can  acquire  these  qualities  in 
a  reasonable  measure  if  she  makes  due  effort. 

The  period  of  settlement  affords  the  skillful  teacher  opportuni- 
ties for  doing  pleasing  and  profitable  work.  Notice  how  she  treats 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers  and  their  settlement.  She  calls  attention  to 
these  people  as  they  stand  on  the  shores  of  the  North  Sea  waiting 
to  be  carried  from  merry  England  to  phlegmatic  Holland.  She 
pictures  the  sacrifices  they  are  making  in  leaving  their  rose-embow- 
ered cottages  in  which  their  ancestors  had  lived  for  several  genera- 
tions ;  the  ivy-clad  church  in  which  they  had  been  wont  to  worship, 
and  in  which  they  were  married  and  their  children  baptized;  and 
the  graveyard  in  which  rested  all  that  was  mortal  of  their  parents 
and  other  dear  ones. 

The  teacher  points  to  their  quaint  attire,  the  closely  cropped 
hair  of  the  men,  and  the  solemn  mien  of  all.  She  commends  their 
piety  and  purity,  and  praises  their  loyalty  to  their  convictions  of 
right.  She  dwells  with  them  in  their  new  homes,  notices  their  dis- 
content, and  embarks  with  them  on  the  Mayflower  to  lay  the  foun- 
dations of  a  new  empire.  She  describes  the  noble  compact  made 
in  the  cabin,  pictures  the  cheerless  landing  on  Plymouth  Eock ;  and 
to  add  to  the  vividness  of  her  description  she  reads  Mrs.  Hemans> 
"Landing  of  the  Pilgrims."  She  enables  the  children  to  look  into 
the  comfortless  homes  built  by  feeble  hands.  Within  they  see 
want,  distress  and  sickness,  but  also  a  beautiful  resignation.  Death 
is  busily  at  work.  He  enters  all  the  hovels,  and  lays  his  icy  fingers 
on  all  classes  alike,  from  the  menial  to  the  governor,  and  wrings  the 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades.  13 

heart  of  the  brave  captain  of  Plymouth  by  taking  his  beautiful 
Eose. 

The  attention  of  the  class  is  directed  to  the  change  in  the 
fortunes  of  the  colony  when  spring  comes  bringing  flowers  and  the 
songs  of  birds.  Joy  takes  the  place  of  sorrow,  hope  the  place  of 
gloom,  and  liberty  is  planted  firmly  in  the  New  World.  More,  the 
pupils  are  made  to  feel  it.  The  men  with  hoary  heads  and  the  wo- 
men with  fearless  eyes  are  real  men  and  women  to  them.  They 
sympathize  with  them  in  their  sorrows  and  rejoice  with  them  in 
their  joys.  They  are  amused  at  the  archness  of  Priscilla,  puzzled 
at  the  self-abasement  of  John  Alden,  and  shocked  at  the  anger  of 
Miles  Standish.  History  is  to  them  a  pleasure  because  it  has  been 
presented  in  a  natural  manner.  The  teacher  herself  was  interested 
in  the  story,  and  forgot  for  the  time  being  that  she  was  a  large 
interrogation  mark  whose  only  duty  was  to  ask  questions. 

And  war,  grim  war,  which  is  said  to  have  in  it  no  nutriment 
ioi  boys  and  girls,  is  used  effectively  by  the  thoughtful  teacher  in 
moving  the  pupils  into  a  healthy  activity  without  which  the  im- 
pressions formed  will  lack  in  permanency.  Much  has  been  said 
against  teaching  children  about  wars  and  battles;  some  of  it  wise 
and  some  otherwise.  Much  depends  upon  the  war,  its  purpose,  and 
the  manner  in  which  it  was  carried  on.  Wars  that  were  waged  to 
gratify  the  vanity  of  some  ruler,  or  to  satisfy  the  greed  of  an  avari- 
cious people  whose  highest  purpose  was  to  obtain  the  possessions  of 
their  neighbors,  simply  because  they  were  powerful  enough  to  do 
so,  are  not  worthy  of  much  time  or  attention  on  the  part  of  the 
grade  teacher.  The  American  w^ars,  however,  with  one  exception, 
were  not  of  that  character.  If  there  can  be  such  things  as  holy 
wars,  the  American  Eevolution,  the  Civil  War,  and  the  Spanish- 
American  War  may  justly  be  placed  in  that  category,  if  their  pur- 
poses and  results  are  duly  considered.  It  would  be  a  mistake  to 
confine  their  results  to  the  United  States,  or  even  to  the  western 
hemisphere.  There  is  not  a  village  or  hamlet  in  Europe  in  which 
the  beneficent  results  of  the  Eevolution  and  Civil  War  have  not  been 
felt,  even  if  they  have  not  always  been  appreciated.  And  the  Span- 
ish-American war,  let  people  say  what  they  will  to  the  contrary, 
was  entered  upon  by  this  country  from  the  most  humane  motives. 
Neither  of  these  wars  was  for  American  aggrandizement.  They 
were  wars  that  opened  and  preserved  an  asylum  for  the  poor  and 
oppressed  of  all  lands — wars  that  resulted  in  the  betterment  of  hu- 
manity.    Therefore  the  motives  that  prompted  them  and  the  re- 


14  The  Normal  School  Quarterly. 

suits  that  followed,  with  some  of  the  principal  events  in  each, 
should  be  taught  in  all  our  schools. 

However,  here,  as  elsewhere,  much  depends  on  how  the  subject 
is  taught.  The  teacher  who  is  properly  prepared  for  her  work, 
will  teach  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  other  battles,  in  a  manner 
never  to  be  forgotten.  She  so  describes  Prescott  and  his  men  that 
they  become  living,  active  beings  to  the  pupils  who  accompany  them 
on  the  silent,  night-march  from  Cambridge  to  Breed's  Hill.  And 
after  the  engineer  has  marked  the  lines  of  the  redoubt,  they  en- 
courage the  men  who,  with  picks  and  shovels,  are  at  work  on  the 
embankment.  The  teacher  goes  on  with  her  description,  and  the 
children  hear  the  "All  is  well"  from  the  ships  in  the  harbor.  They 
see  Prescott  walking  leisurely  on  the  parapet  to  encourage  his 
troops,  and  are  alarmed  for  his  safety. 

But  ah !  Yonder  come  the  redcoats.  How  brave  the  officers 
and  men  look,  and  how  the  sun  flashes  from  swords  and  bayonets ! 
The  children  become  excited.  Those  swords  and  bayonets  are  to 
be  used  in  maiming  and  killing  their  friends  who  after  hours  of 
weary  toil  are  resting  behind  the  breastworks.  The  British  come 
nearer,  still  nearer.  Why  does  not  Prescott  order  his  men  to  fire  ? 
See,  they  come  nearer  and  nearer  yet!  The  pupils  are  watching 
them  earnestly.  How  cruel  they  look !  They  come  nearer  still. 
Now  the  whites  of  their  eyes  may  be  seen.  Why  does  not  Prescott 
order  his  men  to  stop  them  ?  Fire !  A  sheet  of  flame,  a  deafening 
noise,  a  cloud  of  smoke,  which  on  being  blown  away  reveals  a  wind- 
row of  killed  and  disabled  British,  and  the  rest  flying  in  disorder 
towards  the  Charles  River. 

Notice  the  children  as  they  listen  to  the  teacher's  descriptions. 
Every  word  of  hers  reaches  them  and  finds  a  response  in  their 
breasts.  Her  every  motion  is  closely  watched,  and  their  firm-set 
teeth,  dilated  nostrils,  and  flashing  eyes  show  that  they  are  in  full 
sympathy  with  her.  Such  a  recitation  is  not  tiresome.  The  pu- 
pils will  not  go  to  their  seats  glad  that  the  hour  is  over.  Neither 
will  they  have  much  to  say  about  the  dryness  of  history. 

The  work  in  the  intermediate  grades  has  been  thus  dwelt  upon, 
because  it  is  generally  felt  that  it  is  here  that  the  poorest  teaching 
is  done,  altho  it  is  where  the  teacher  should  be  most  thoughtful  and 
painstaking.  The  children  are  forming  habits  of  study  that  will 
stay  by  them  and  influence  them  thruout  their  school  life.  If 
proper  habits  are  formed  here,  and  a  keen  historical  interest  be 
awakened,  the  work  in  the  other  grades  will  be  comparatively  easy, 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades.  15 

and  the  study  of  history  will  be  a  source  of  delight.  All  subjects, 
when  properly  taught,  become  sources  of  delight ;  but  history,  espe- 
cialy,  is  well-suited  to  awaken  pleasurable  emotions  in  the  learners ; 
and  it  is  only  when  such  emotions  are  awakened  that  pupils  are  in 
condition  to  do  their  best  work. 

The  methods  of  the  intermediate  grades  should  be  followed  to 
some  extent  in  the  grammar  grades.  The  vivid  portraying  of  men 
and  events  should  be  continued.  The  pageantry  of  history  should 
still  be  emphasized.  And  the  children  should  be  helped  to  see 
with  the  "mind's  eye"  the  great  pageaTit  passing  before  them. 

Each  pupil  should  now  be  supplied  with  a  good  text-book  and 
it  will  be  all  the  better  if  he  has  access  to  several.  It  may  be  that 
a  text  was  used  the  last  year  of  the  intermediate  course.  There  is  no 
good  reason  why  it  should  not  be  used  there,  but  the  pupils  do  not 
necessarily  lose  anything  by  having  its  use  deferred  until  the  be- 
ginning of  the  grammar  course.  The  time  of  beginning  the  use 
of  the  text-book,  however,  is  not  of  as  much  importance  as  is  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  used.  Books  are  the  repositories  of  knowl- 
edge, and  to  be  able  to  get  the  most  out  of  them,  at  the  least  ex- 
pense of  time  and  labor,  is  a  great  accomplishment;  and  this  ac- 
complishment the  teacher  should  aid  her  pupils  in  acquiring. 

The  manner  of  assigning  the  lesson  is  very  important,  as  it 
determines,  in  a  large  measure,  the  quality  of  the  recitation.  If 
it  is  assigned  by  hurriedly  giving  so  many  paragraphs  or  pages  to 
be  learned,  the  boys  and  girls  will  get  but  little  for  their  time  and 
labor,  as  they  do  not  know  how  to  study.  They  will  try  to  com- 
mit the  exact  words  of  the  lesson  to  memory,  and  will  have  no  time 
to  give  to  the  thought ;  consequently  the  recitation  will,  in  all  prob- 
ability be  a  fragmentary  and  incoherent  jumble  of  words  and 
phrases  that  tell  nothing  and  mean  about  as  little.  They  get  the 
husks,  if  anything,  and  leave  the  kernels.  The  teacher  can  well 
afford  to  spend  a  quarter  of  the  recitation  period  in  assigning  the 
lesson  for  the  next  day,  altho  she  can  usually  assign  it  in  less  time. 
Here  she  can  do  her  best  work  as  a  teacher,  as  it  is  here  that  she  can 
best  lead  her  pupils  to  think.  Besides  all  topics  in  history  are  not 
of  equal  importance.  The  historic  landscape  is  not  a  plain  across 
whose  dead  level  the  learner  must  plod  monotonously  month  after 
month  and  term  after  term.  On  the  contrary  it  is  beautifuly  di- 
versified with  mountain  and  valley,  hill  and  dale,  silvery  lake  and 
sparkling  stream.  In  other  words  some  events  are  very  important, 
while  the  value  of  others  is  comparatively  slight.     In  assigning  the 


16  Ihe  Normal  School  Quarterly. 

lesson  the  teacher  points  out  the  most  important  ones  and  shows 
why  they  are  most  important,  thus  giving  her  pupils  a  valuable  les- 
son in  the  art  of  discrimination,  an  art  which  must  be  carefully  cul- 
tivated by  every  successful  student  of  history. 

The  teacher  of  history  should  pay  much  attention  to  geog- 
raphy. The  two  subjects  are  so  closely  related  that  to  divorce  them 
is  to  place  each  at  a  disadvantage.  The  physical  features  of  a  coun- 
try largely  determine  its  history.  How  far  it  is  wise  to  attempt  to 
get  grammar  grade  pupils  to  see  this,  the  teacher  must  determine 
for  herself.  There  is  no  doubt,  however,  that  the  pupils  are 
prepared  to  study  and  appreciate  the  spatial  phase  of  geography. 
It  is  true  they  are  supposed  to  have  studied  the  geography  of  their 
own  country  before  entering  upon  the  study  of  its  history.  But 
experience  has  shown  that  it  is  not  safe  to  conclude  that  they  now 
have  a  working  knowledge  of  the  subject,  no  matter  how  faithfully 
the  teacher  of  geography  did  her  work.  And  unless  they  can  locate, 
in  space,  the  principal  events,  they  will  fail  to  derive  from  the 
study  of  history  the  benefit  which  they  should.  The  pupils  must 
be  made  to  see  and  feel  that  history  is  made  upon  the  earth  and 
must  rest  upon  it.  Much  of  the  poor  work  in  history  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  it  is  not  placed  upon  any  firm  foundation,  but  is  left 
hanging  in  the  air. 

There  should  be  a  good  wall  map  hanging  before  the  class,  and 
the  pupils  should  be  expected  to  point  to  the  places  at  which  the 
principal  events  occurred.  They  should  also  be  held  respon- 
sible for  the  making  of  simple,  free-hand  sketch  maps,  from 
memory;  sometimes  on  the  blackboard,  and  sometimes  on  paper. 
These  sketches  should  be  made  in  the  class,  as  the  greatest  benefit 
is  derived  from  the  work,  if  the  sketching  and  oral  reciting  are  tak- 
ing place  at  the  same  time.  In  order  that  the  pupils  may  do  this 
work  satisfactorily,  the  teacher  must  be  prepared  to  do  it  herself. 

Pictures,  also,  are  very  helpful  in  teaching  history,  especially 
in  the  lower  grades.  They  assist  the  children  in  making  correct 
mental  pictures  of  men,  places,  and  events,  and  restrain  the  image- 
making  power  from  indulging  in  wild  flights  of  fancy.  There  is 
no  scarcity  of  good  pictures.  The  leading  magazines  are  well  sup- 
plied with  them,  and  so  are  the  illustrated  weeklies;  and  even  the 
daily  newspaper  sometimes  contains  pictures  that  may  be  used  to 
advantage  in  the  history  class.  And  there  are  several  publishing 
houses  that  print  pictures  of  considerable  artistic  merit,  which  may 
be  purchased  for  a  very  little  money.     Every  teacher  of  history 


Suggestions  on  the  Teaching  of  History  in  the  Grades.  17 

should,  early  in  her  career,  begin  making  a  collection  of  pictures 
and  mounting  them  on  cardboard.  If  she  does,  she  will  soon  have 
material  enough  to  aid  her  considerably  in  her  work,  and  in  form 
convenient  for  use. 

As  history  rests  largely  upon  geography,  so  literature  rests 
in  a  measure  upon  history.  Consequently  the  brammar  grade 
teacher  should  open  the  door  leading  from  one  to  the  other, — not 
very  wide,  but  wide  enough  to  enable  her  pupils  to  see  the  tempting 
viands  that  await  them.  The  sight  will  not  only  cause  them  to  in- 
crease their  diligence  that  they  may  the  sooner  partake  of  the  feast ; 
it  will  also  bring  them  present  enjoyment.  A  short  poem  read  in 
the  class,  a  brief  excerpt  from  the  newspaper,  or  a  well-written  mag- 
azine article  will  often  make  alive  with  interest  the  lesson  which 
otherwise  would  be  dry  and  lifeless.  Besides  there  is  always  a 
great  advantage  in  connecting  the  work  in  history  with  current 
literature  wherever  it  can  be  done  readily,  as  each  enriches  the  other. 
Care  should  be  taken,  however,  that  in  sending  the  pupils  to  the 
reference  table  or  the  library  to  find  these  articles,  the  volume  and 
page  be  designated. 

While  the  so-called  philosophy  of  history  should  find  no  place 
in  the  grades,  there  are  certain  relations  that  may  be  pointed  out 
and  dwelt  upon  with  profit.  The  relation  of  cause  and  effect,  and 
those  of  place  and  time  are  not  too  difficult  for  grammar  grade  pu- 
pils to  comprehend.  But  even  in  dealing  with  these  simple  rela- 
tions there  is  need  of  care  on  the  part  of  the  teacher.  Some  have 
been  known  to  err  by  seeking  to  find  the  causal  relation  where  it 
did  not  exist;  or  if  it  did  exist  it  was  too  remote  to  be  grasped  by 
the  young  learners.  There  may  be  a  cause  for  every  event  in  his- 
tory, but  man  being  a  free  moral  agent,  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to 
find  the  motives  that  prompted  him  to  do  certain  acts.  Conse- 
quently there  is  danger  that  conclusions  may  be  reached  which  the 
premises  do  not  warrant.  By  doing  this  the  teacher  injures  her 
pupils  by  leading  them  into  wrong  habits  of  study. 

There  are  instances,  however,  in  which  the  causal  relation  may 
be  easily  traced.  The  surrender  of  Burgoyne's  army  in  1777,  with 
its  consequences,  is  a  good  illustration.  This  event  led  to  the  open 
alliance  of  Prance  with  the  United  States  and  the  recognition  of 
American  independence.  These  in  turn  led  to  the  sending  of  Brit- 
ish commissioners  to  America  with  power  to  offer  the  States  all  for 
which  they  contended,  excepting  independence.  The  French  alliance 
led  to  the  sending  of  a  French  fleet  to  America,  and  this  caused  the 


18  Ihe  Normal  School  Quarterly : 

evacuation  of  Philadelphia  by  the  British,  which  movement  was 
followed  by  the  battle  of  Monmouth. 

Place  relation  is  valuable  in  dealing  with  large  topics  and 
may  be  used  to  advantage  in  reviews.  Lake  Champlain  and  vicin- 
ity may  be  used  to  unite  many  events,  as  well  as  the  principal  ac- 
tors in  those  events.  Champlain  and  his  explorations,  the  battle 
at  the  head  of  Lake  George,  the  massacre  at  Fort  William  Henry, 
the  building  of  Fort  Ticonderoga  by  Montcalm,  the  efforts  of  the 
English  to  capture  it,  its  capture  by  Ethan  Allen,  recapture  by 
Burgoyne,  the  battle  of  Bennington,  the  two  battles  of  Stillwater 
or  Saratogo,  with  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne,  and  MacDonough's 
brilliant  naval  victory,  can  be  connected  with  the  lake. 

Time  relation,  also,  is  valuable  in  reviews.  It  serves  to  bind 
together  events  that  may  have  taken  place  far  apart  in  space.  It 
enables  the  pupils  to  hold  many  events  by  the  use  of  a  few  dates. 
While  the  mastery  of  some  dates  is  necessary  in  the  study  of  his- 
tory, the  number  that  need  be  mastered  is  comparatively  small,  if 
properly  used.  In  1837,  a  serious  monetary  panic  prevailed  in  this 
country,  the  Independent  Treasury  Bill  was  brought  before  Con- 
gress, the  patriot  war  threatened  to  endanger  peaceful  relations  be- 
tween this  country  and  Great  Britain,  the  legislature  of  Illinois 
passed  an  act  to  establish  and  maintain  a  system  of  internal  im- 
provements to  cost  about  $12,230,000,  Elijah  P.  Lovejoy  was  killed 
by  a  mob  at  Alton,  Chicago  was  incorporated  as  a  city,  and  Queen 
Victoria  ascended  the  throne  of  England. 

These  are  but  a  few  of  the  illustrations  that  might  be  given 
showing  the  usefulness  of  the  relations  of  cause  and  effect,  place, 
and  time. 


The  Illinois 

State  Normal  University 


Affords  superior  advantages  to  all  who  wish  to  pre- 
pare for  teaching. 

Its  faculty  numbers  32. 

Its  training  department  of  nearly  five  hundred 
pupils  includes  all  grades  from  the  kindergarten  thru 
the  high  school. 

Its  library  numbers  18,000  volumes  and  pamph 
lets. 

Its  laboratories  are  well  equipped  for  work  in 
biology,  physics,  chemistry,  and  geography. 

Its  facilities  for  physical  training  are  unsurpassed 
at  any  similar  institution  in  the  West. 

Besides  the  regular  courses  in  the  ordinary 
branches  of  the  elementary  school  and  high  school, 
instruction  is  given  by  trained  specialists  in  art,  vocal 
music,  manual  training,  physical  culture,  and  the 
elements  of  agricultural  science. 
Three  courses  are  provided : 

1.  For  graduates  of  superior  high  schools. 

2.  For  graduates  of  village  high  schools. 

3.  For  students  without  high  school  preparation. 
For  catalog,  address 

David  Felmley,  President, 

Normal,  Illinois. 


Calendar  for  1903-1904. 


WINTER   TERM. 

December   16 — Semi-annual  meeting  of  the   Board  of  Edu- 
cation. 

December  18 — Annual  contest  of  literary  societies. 
December  19 — Eecess  of  two  weeks. 
January  4,  1904 — Winter  term  resumes. 
February  27 — Annual  contest  in  oratory. 
March  4 — End  of  winter  term. 
Vacation  of  nine  days. 

SPRING   TERM,    1904. 

March  14 — Spring  term  begins. 
June  1 — Annual  meeting  of  Board  of  Education. 
June  1 — Annual  meeting  of  the  Alumni  Association. 
June  2 — Annual  commencement  exercises. 

SUMMER    SESSION,    1904. 

June  6 — First  summer  term  begins. 

July  18 — Second  summer  term  begins. 

August  26 — Second  summer  term  ends. 

September  5 — Beginning  of  fall  term  of  year  1904-5. 


PANTAGRAPH 

Printing     and 
Stationery  Co. 


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